The Flower of Life

The flower of Life is a precious semi-herbaceous plant, and is often seen as a symbol of enduring love and devotion. Its Latin name, Mucuna Pruriens, literally means ‘a plant that never should have bloomed'. It is known for its rich green color which remains constant even under adverse conditions. The flower of life has been used by many cultures all around the world to represent love, beauty, and even survival.

The flower of life has been found in the Amazon Basin in South America since the 15th century, and was first brought to Europe during that time. It was originally named Mucuna Pruriens after renowned Swiss botanist Ulrich Mucuna who described it in his magnum opus ‘Hortus Malabaricus' in 1598. The beautiful little plant quickly became known as ‘the flower of love', as the rich green color of its leaves and flowers inspired artists and designers of the day to paint, draw, and write verses about it. One of the first written descriptions of the flower of life came from Portuguese explorer Gonzaga Castelnovo de Loureiro in 1553, who called it “the flower of perpetual youth", since it supposedly never gets old. Even if you cut it down, dry it out, and burn it, it will bloom again the following year.

In many parts of the world, the flower of life has been seen as an omen of good luck and fortune. It is often considered good luck to see flowers bloom in winter, and in some parts of Europe it is even thought that if you pull a flower off of the plant, you will somehow be cursed, and bad luck will follow. The ancient Romans associated the flower of life with Vesta, goddess of hearths and sanctuaries, and with her they believed that if you pull a flower off of the plant, you will be haunted by misfortune. In parts of southern Italy, the flower of life is known as “the flower that brings good luck and beauty".

The flower of life is a very important plant to many people, due to its various symbolic meanings. For example, if you pull a flower off of the plant and stick it in the ground, its root will grow strong and new flowers will bloom the following year. You are believed to be bringing good luck and fortune to whomever you do this for. The plant is also associated with beauty, because of its beautiful blooms, and those who partake in pulling flowers off of it are said to be attracting admirers. In parts of Turkey, the flower of life is known as “the little rose of happiness"; in the Philippines, it is “the emblem of fidelity"; and in Japan, it is “a token of love".

The flower of life is most often seen as a symbol of fidelity and devotion, due to its beauty and its ability to bloom even when cut down. It is a precious plant that is found in many parts of the world, including Asia, North Africa, and Europe. If you are fortunate enough to see a flower of life in its native habitat, you can be fairly certain that you will be seeing the end of summer, since this is when these gorgeous green plants are at their absolute peak of beauty. Unfortunately, a lot of the time they are found in places where they are not supposed to be, so if you want a shot at seeing a flower of life, you will have to travel abroad and hope that you are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. You also have to have the money to pay for your plane ticket and all the food and lodging while you are there. But if you can pull this one off, it will be well worth it.

If you live in a temperate climate zone where winters are cold and dry, then you can easily grow your own flower of life. All you need is a sunny spot in your garden, and plenty of space for the roots to spread around. The Latin name ‘Mucuna' means ‘not suitable for farming', but this small plant quickly becomes one of the most popular crops to grow in gardens around the world due to its hardiness. In regions where summers are hot and humid, which is most parts of the tropics, you will need to give the plant some supplementary water during the summer months to prevent it from drying out. Otherwise, you will end up with a puny bush that produces nothing but leaves.

The best time to plant the flower of life is in the spring, before the last frost. During the summer, the plants need to be watered regularly to keep the roots healthy and vibrant. If you live in a place where there is regular frost, then you can plant it in the fall to take advantage of the milder weather during the winter. In the spring, you should expect to see some flower buds on the plant about 10-12 weeks after you have sowed the seeds. You can then cut them down to the ground for more rapid growth. Some gardeners like to pinch off the flower buds to encourage more blooms.

Over time, you can expect the flower of life to become quite a substantial shrub or small tree which can be between 4-6 feet tall. When this happens, you can either leave it as it is or you can cut down the entire shrub and clear some floor space for bigger and better things.